A number of months ago, I found my grandfather’s World War I draft registration on Ancestry.

I think was surprised at the misspelling of his middle name.   And wondered why did he not sign the form with his usual flourish signature?   But, was glad to find the document.   Then, the day before Memorial Day, 2018, I received an email from FamilySearch saying my grandfather’s World War I Draft Registration was online.   I almost deleted it since I already had the document.   But, I clicked on it and went to the actual image:

And it was a DIFFERENT document!!!!  Same registration number appeared on the form and it had the same date, but it was not the same document!  This one HAD GRANDPA’s signature!  I recognized that anywhere!  And under the marks over his name, the middle name was spelled correctly (he was named after his grandfather).  The City and State were printed in the first document and written on the second.   There was a third reason for exclusion from duty on the second document that was not on the first: rheumatism.  Then I notices the faint writing across the bottom of page 2 of the first document:  “True Copy. C.B.”   Well, C.B., no it is NOT!

Hay fever, asthma, and rheumatism did not get Grandpa out of serving:

(P.S.  the image on Ancestry is now the original, not the “True Copy”)